


Kairos

by MagicaLauren



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Rare Pairings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-30 20:16:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10884159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicaLauren/pseuds/MagicaLauren
Summary: Change is coming too quickly and too much of it. Kuroo would just like for all the anxiety to go away, because really graduation is exciting. Or supposed to be. But he can't stop thinking about all the things he'll lose- rides to school with Kenma, practice everyday, puns with Bokuto.Probably even Daichi.Except when you take into account how steady Daichi is, and he calms Kuroo down long enough so he's not just barely above water but safely to shore.





	Kairos

**Author's Note:**

> Kairos- The best moment for an action.

**Sunday**

 

The moon shines bright tonight, casting light on closed lids. Which maybe why Kuroo is still up at 1:30 A.M, tossing, turning and tossing again.

 

Then again, it may also be the cold creeping up his toes. 

 

Or, his thoughts.

 

Technically it’s Sunday morning now, another passage of time, slowly getting closer to December. He hates how cold it is, a reminder of Winter approaching, of  _ graduation  _ approaching. 

 

His stomach twists just so, acid sits in the back of his mouth, and  _ Kuroo can’t sleep, and he’s so so terrified.  _

 

All his life he’s been sitting on the edge of his seat, waiting for the next best thing. In elementary school he’d felt too young, in middle school he couldn’t wait to graduate, always looking for new friends, new experiences. Kuroo appreciates the irony, that now in high school where he’s found some semblance of happiness that all those feelings come crashing.

 

He wants to push it out of his head, but every time he twists the sheets his stomach knots with it.

 

Kuroo wants to text Kenma, but can’t bring himself to. He’s not sure when that started happening, he’s probably playing with his own head, jealousy of Shou-chan will hurt all of them in the long run. Still, Kuroo’s leaving soon, all this will be over, who even knows how university will change his relationship with Kenma. He’s still sore from the year when Kenma was in middle school while he moved ahead. How everything felt like it had changed by second year, and suddenly Kenma had bleached hair when he would never have called attention to himself before. 

 

Leaving might even be good for Kenma. He’s quiet and probably doesn’t even realise it but he thrives on just a little bit of attention- he used to find it by being around sociable Kuroo, by bleaching his hair, and now Shou-chan. Kenma’s starting a new chapter, without Kuroo.

 

Oikawa would know exactly how he feels. Oikawa has wanted nothing more than  _ more,  _ the ever present hunger in his eyes. Truly, Kuroo thinks, he reaches for the stars. At the same time, Kuroo has never seen anyone more dedicated to their team, and the fact that Iwaizumi is going to a different University must be tearing Oikawa apart. Already, his loss to Karasuno has locked him off the high school court.

 

Kuroo can’t help but pity him. 

 

Not tonight. Kuroo could text him, the idiot’s probably awake, but Kuroo just… he can’t deal with that tonight. 

 

Daichi comes to mind, he always does.

 

Kuroo pushes the thought away, he always does. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


**Monday**

 

Kuroo drags himself and Kenma to school in the morning, bones stiff from the morning chill. He hums a tune to fill the silence on the train while Kenma blinks sleepily into space. 

 

“I’m not coming home with you today,” Kenma says in his sleep laden voice, and he almost looks surprised he managed to speak.

 

Kuroo turns his head to look at him waiting for Kenma to elaborate while listening to the quiet morning chatter of other passengers. Behind their heads the sun climbs higher in the sky to illuminate Kenma’s blonde hair before he speaks again, only slightly more awake, “I’m going to Miyagi tonight, Shou-chan texted me… said it was important.”

 

Kuroo nods in understanding, “Sure, yeah, I can cover for you at practice, but it’s Monday night. Are you sure you don’t want to wait until the weekend? I mean, you don’t have any tests or anything right?” he asks.

 

Kenma’s eyes pierce him, with the rising sun behind them he looks like a god- a hunched over small god perhaps. He figures the look Kenma settles on him answers the question well enough and raises his hands in surrender. 

 

For the rest of the day he lists off in class, barely nodding along to the teacher. Final exams are already over so he’s in the weird time bubble where everyone just wants to go on break. Kuroo feels it too- underneath his skin, a buzz of energy. He’s ready to get up and walk out of school, to go to volleyball camps or work. 

 

And  _ sleep. _

 

That’s something he hasn’t done in what feels like the last three years, he only has a short time period before the next four years of university take over, but he’s willing to take advantage.

 

But this is strange. Like an out of body experience. He’s not going to training camp, he’s just going home. Yeah, he’ll have fun during break, but all of it will just be last hurrahs, less making memories and more saying goodbye to them. Bokuto and him will go down to the corner store and mix slushie flavors for the last time, Yakku and him will play final pranks on each other or go eat their final pieces of cake at the Best Cat Cafe In Tokyo.

 

He doesn’t even know how to say goodbye to Kenma. 

 

Volleyball practice comes too, it’s all a haze. 

 

And he goes home, without Kenma. Like a practice run to see how he’ll handle being alone.

  
  


* * *

  
  


**Tuesday**

 

Kenma looks more disheveled than normal when Kuroo picks him up in the morning. He figures it has something to do with staying late at Hinata’s and doesn’t pry.

 

On their ride in Kenma opens his mouth as if to say something. Kuroo catches the movement out of the corner of his eye and feels surprise jump in him-  _ two  _ whole days in a row that Kenma speaks before 9 A.M. But Kenma shuts his mouth again, and the silence stays locked between them.

 

He repeats the gesture several times, Kuroo gives him the time to ask on his own. 

 

When they reach their stop and Kenma still hasn’t uttered a word Kuroo feels the need to prod him, otherwise he might not admit at all what he wants to say. 

 

Kenma walks ahead of him, and Kuroo feels too tired to put any effort forth. 

 

He wonders if maybe that is what Kenma wants to talk about, maybe the bags under his eyes have become more pronounced than he thought.  _ No _ , he thinks, _ Kenma wouldn’t hold back about something like that, and besides, my makeup skills are flawless.  _

 

It’s not until they’re walking back from the train station, after practice, after the sun has entirely disappeared, that Kenma reveals what’s been on his mind. “Shou-chan and I are dating now I guess.”

 

Kuroo’s head whips quickly, “What?” he feels panicky, for reasons he can’t quite name “that was… fast,” not that fast really, a whole year, but considering the fact that he hasn’t started dating Daichi despite crushing on him since first ye- “I mean. Congratulations, is all, but wow. How did um, that happen?”

 

Kenma shrugs to the side, a slight blush in the dark, he’s adorable and Kuroo is glad to be his friend, “Last night, I guess.” Kurro barks a laugh, “You sure seem to be guessing a lot.”

 

Kenma straightens out, and says in a stronger voice, “Last night, he said that he realised it like ‘ka-blam’ or something like that, I don’t really know, it was really cute,” he fades back out. Kuroo laughs and slings an arm around Kenma, even if he’s much shorter. 

 

“You two are going to be great.” he promises.

  
  


* * *

  
  


**Wednesday**

 

Kuroo isn’t entirely sure how it happened. He’d just been so  _ frustrated.  _

 

By the time he gets out of school on Wednesday he can’t remember anything that had happened before, his bones are so tired and it’s only midweek. He’d work it out in practice but it had been nothing but slow days while the school year winds down for the third years that are spending their final days in the gym.

 

He’s supposed to announce next year's captain but he doesn’t want to pass on the mantle, doesn’t want to leave. 

 

And he’d felt just reckless enough to text Daichi. 

  
So even though it means missing such an important moment to the team, or having to take a long train ride back to Tokyo, he sits in front of Daichi at a small cafe as they share a piece of strawberry cake with whip cream.

 

It almost feels like a date.

 

Daichi watches him with critical eyes, “So, Tetsuruo, what’s wrong? You look like a mess. I think your hair even looks wilted.” 

 

“Damn your Dad-chi instincts,” Kuroo says, his lips twitching into a half smile. He eats the last bite of his cake then leans back in his chair. “Did you know my little Kenma and your Shou-chan started dating?” he asks instead. Daichi looks concerned but answers proudly nonetheless, “Yeah, of course, Hinata was jumping off the walls,” he pauses, “why?”

 

If he’s concerned that Kuroo likes Kenma (a common misconception among family and friends) Kuroo hates to let him down. “It just feels like everything is changing. I was supposed to pass on the title of captain. And don’t get me wrong, I’m sick of highschool, but it’s like all three years, all those memories are just hitting me at once.” 

 

Daichi’s eyes soften, he bites, once, twice, then finishes his portion of cake, then leans back to mirror Kuroo’s position. “Yeah,” he sighs, “yeah I know.” A slight laugh escapes him, “Sugawara told me today that he’s going to miss ‘this place’ and looked dramatically across the gym, I think Asahi almost started crying.” 

 

Daichi runs a hand through short brown hair, “I don’t really know what to do about it all though, so I guess I’m just trying to do one thing at a time.”

 

Kuroo physically feels his shoulders relax, like all the hair he’s been holding in, all that fear and anxiety is no longer trapped in him. This is what he likes about Daichi, how grounding he is. In his warm brown eyes and the melodic tone of his voice. Amazing, all of it.

 

Falling forward, Kuroo’s head rests on the table between them, “Daichi, you are the sweetest person I’ve ever met and if someone ever needed like, a motivational speaker or something for kids I would absolutely point them in your direction.” 

 

Daichi slips a hand in his hair and Kuroo feels like purring as he pats consolingly.

 

“Well, I am  _ pretty great _ aren’t I?” Kuroo doesn’t even need to look to see the sunny smile. He looks anyways.

 

“Awesome advice, Dad-chi.” The humor in Daichi’s eyes grows, “oh no, stop this instant.” 

 

“How about, Suwa- _ mama  _ Daichi?”

 

Suddenly Daichi is laughing, hard. His cheeks light up in mirth, eyes watering a bit, eyebrows drawn, big and booming. Kuroo wonders if he’s just hysterical because he’s tired, he did just come from practice after all. 

 

He rests his head on the table, smooshing his cheek to look up at Daichi. “Is the most beautiful man in the world amused?” he asks, feeling lighthearted. 

 

Daichi gasps out a few more laughs then turns his gaze with bright eyes, “I don’t know, are you amused Tet-su-ro?” 

 

Kuroo chokes. 

 

“Oh my god, Kuroo are you okay? What did you even choke on?”  _ Probably how amazing you are, _ he would say, but he doesn’t know if he can be that smoothe right now, and also he’s choking. 

 

They calm down after Daichi’s rigorous patting of his back, they fall into a companionable silence, the kind after you laugh so hard nothing else that can be said matters. Outside the country crickets cry, it’s a little warmer here than in Tokyo. A lot warmer, to be next to Daichi.

 

“So, you good now?” Daichi teases, and really he should know Kuroo can’t handle it. He wonders how a shitty day got to this. 

 

“I- yeah. Yeah I’m fine. Actually, I should head home.” he jumps up quickly, even as he dreads the ride home to cold Tokyo.

 

Daichi stands as well, eyes widening, “Oh, of course. You’re all done with finals right? I’d hate to keep you here,” Kuroo nods his assent. 

 

They say their goodbyes when Daichi decides to throw in “Hey, come back Saturday yeah? You should bring Kenma and you and I could hang out, I kind of miss ya,” he grasps Kuroo’s shoulder in a friendly manner. 

 

Kuroo hopes he can’t see the blush from down there, “Yeah, actually. That sounds great.”

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


**Thursday**

 

Kuroo is tired, but in all the best ways. 

 

His eyes drift away from the board and he daydreams about jokes he could tell Daichi, puns and pickup lines. He thinks about being better prepared for Daichi to be adorable, in his fantasies Kuroo is suave and everything is great.

 

He tells Kenma who nods, then ducks away as Yakku comes storming down the hallway to berate him for missing such an important moment for the team.

 

* * *

  
  
  


**Friday**

 

The knife twists a little bit more and he’s reminded that Daichi- that all of everything is ending soon. 

 

He’s not really sure what his teachers say, and hell if he can remember practice.

  
  


* * *

  
  


**Saturday**

 

They arrive a few hours before dinner and Kenma is vibrating in excitement in that special way of his. When the two step off the train they’re immediately greeted by Shou-chan who is impossible to miss, and Daichi who is holding the back of his shirt with one hand and waving with another.

 

He leads Kenma through the crowd and calls out a greeting, they all smile at each other and Kuroo subtly threatens Shou-chan to discourage him from breaking Kenma’s heart before they all part ways.

 

Daichi leads him through the downtown, like they always do, stopping at shops along the way until they reach Daichi’s ramen shop, like they always do, where they eat familiar foods and fight about the check, like they always do. 

 

“You’re my guest!”

 

“You’re letting me stay over and I’m returning the favor!”

 

Kuroo wins, if only just, and says “It’s my cat like reflexes.”

 

He’s proud of himself because he doesn’t choke on any food.

 

Later, when they curl under five blankets on the couch because the winter temperatures drop even more at night, they put on a movie both know they’ll never watch and talk.

 

“I just, feel like I’m on this precipice is all. And if you were on an edge wouldn’t you want to turn back and get away so you don’t fall? But I can’t because what’s behind me is the past and it’s all… gone. And what little land I’m left standing on is going to be gone too. Sorry, it’s a stupid metaphor, but I just don’t know how to describe it.”

 

Daichi laughs and nudges him, “Dude I know exactly how you feel don’t worry. But you’ll still have me at the very least.”

 

Kuroo wonders if Daichi knows how much comfort he takes in that comment, “Yeah, I’m glad. We have to stay in touch through university,” on screen something explodes and they both stare for a second trying to figure out the plot and what is going on in the scene.

 

“Obviously, I know a lot of people stop talking after highschool but I mean, you’re my friend,” and Daichi is so calming. “How’s Oikawa taking it though, I mean…” he doesn’t need to finish the sentence they both know how Oikawa is. “Oh boy, I’m kind of scared to text him? Like I want to support him and all but… I last talked to Iwaizumi and he looked more pissed off than normal so I’m just staying out of that.”

 

“Ya know,” Daichi says, “I’m pretty sure the only reason all of us captains are friends is because of you.” Kuroo bumps into Daichi, briefly upsetting their perfect nest, “Uh, Yuuji joined us because he was so enchanted by those thick thighs and strong personality.”

 

Daichi shoots him a strange look, “Yuuji idolizes  _ you _ .”

 

“Uhm, no. I mean yeah, because look at me. But he has stars in his eyes when he looks at you.” 

 

“Agree to disagree?” 

 

It’s such a random small thing but Kuroo feels really safe right now with him. “Wow, you know it’ll be up to Yuuji to continue the all-us-captains-are-friends legacy.” 

 

They keep talking until their voices drip with fatigue, each word slurring as they toe the edge of sleep.

 

“Hey,” Daichi says into the dark at one point, way after the movie has ended.

 

“Hey.”

 

Daichi laughs and Kuroo smiles along with him, “You know what I could do right now? Have pancakes. Daichi make me pancakes- no. Daichi make me banana pancakes.” 

 

Daichi giggles and it’s the funniest and cutest thing, “Wait until morning, oh my gosh.”

 

Kuroo is already pulling him off the couch and they shuffle along the floor to the kitchen. The kitchen light seems strange after sitting in the dark for so long, like his eyes can’t fully process the yellow light. Daichi goes around the kitchen collecting mix, eggs, and milk. 

 

_ This is fun,  _ Kuroo thinks and hoists himself up onto the kitchen counter while Daichi mixes, he stares blankly at the clock over the stove that reads 11:58, then 11:59.

 

Daichi pours the first pancake onto the stove and they watch in anticipation.

 

“Tetsuro,” he says and flips the pancake, “you know you’ll always have me right?”

 

It’s late, maybe that’s why he says it. He’s delusional.

  
  


* * *

  
  


**Sunday**

 

Technically it’s Sunday morning now, another passage of time, the turn of clock means it’s December. He loves how warm it is in the kitchen, a reminder of Daichi’s steady presence, of  _ banana  _ pancakes.

 

Daichi takes the pancake off the stove and flips it onto the plate.

 

“I love you.” 

 

Daichi pauses mid motion before the next pancake’s mix falls onto the pan.

 

He turns and furrows his eyebrows, giving Kuroo all his attention, and Kuroo feels exposed. Then, Daichi leans forward and kisses him once on the cheek. There are a million things that happen, like Kuroo’s cheeks turning as red as his jersey, and how he feels excited and calm and everything all at once.

 

“Eat your pancake, I made it for you, you dork.”

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a birthday present and I hope said birthday recipient likes it. I didn't double check it because I just want to post this, but if any readers notice a lot of errors- you don't have to specifically tell me each one just that there are a lot and I should review or something.


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